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Russia restores Chechnya air link Tu-134 planes will link Vnukovo airport in Moscow with Grozny Regular flights between Moscow and Grozny, the war-damaged capital of Chechnya, have resumed for the first time in nearly a decade. Flights were suspended when Severny airport in Grozny was damaged during the war between Russian forces and separatist rebels in the 1990s. Initially there will be three flights a week from Moscow's Vnukovo airport. To mark the reopening - on International Women's Day - women passengers were able to fly for free. The flight time is about two hours and 30 minutes and fares will vary from 5,500 roubles (£109; $210) for economy class to 8,000 roubles for business class, Itar-Tass news agency reports. The Aeroflot-Don airline is using Tu-134 planes, but it plans to upgrade to the larger Tu-154 when the summer schedule is introduced. The pro-Russian Chechen President, Ramzan Kadyrov, told Itar-Tass: "all women who book on the first flight will receive free tickets on International Women's Day". Russia and many of the former Soviet republics have a public holiday on 8 March. Severny airport was the scene of heavy fighting between the Russian army and Chechen rebels in 1994 and 1999.

Russia restores Chechnya air link